Acuario Michin Guadalajara

Acuario Michin Guadalajara is an aquarium in Guadalajara, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.[1]

Acuario Michin Guadalajara
Logo
20°41′34.5″N 103°21′5″W
Date opened2017
LocationGuadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Land area32,000 square feet
No. of animals10,000
No. of species300
Volume of largest tank750,000 liters
DirectorPaulina Balbontín Durón
Websiteacuariomichin.com/guadalajara/

History

Acuario Michin Guadalajara was built in order to attract tourists to the area. Almost 300 million pesos (over 14 million US dollars) were invested in the aquarium, which is located near Parque Alcalde. Construction began in 2015, and it opened during March of 2017.[2][3] Originally, there were plans for an aquarium to be built in nearby Puerto Vallarta, but there were concerns that it would not get enough visitors with the aquarium in Guadlajara being built. [3] [4] Eventually, plans for an aquarium in Puerto Vallarta were scrapped. [5]

In 2018, the aquarium became the first in the country to successfully breed neotropical river otters.[6]

Exhibits

The aquarium is divided into five sections, each named after a pre-Hispanic Mexican civilization: Wixárika, Maya, Mixtec, Konkaak, and Olmeca.[2]

  • Wixárika Pavilion: Features freshwater species, reptiles, and amphibians, including axolotls.
  • Maya Pavilion: Features species native to coral reefs, including clownfish.
  • Mixtec Pavilion: Features some semiaquatic species such as crocodiles and neotropical otters. This pavilion also contains an aviary where visitors can feed budgerigars, opportunities to feed tilapia and carp, and a petting zoo called Achcalli Farm. that was added in 2019. The petting zoo received an expansion in 2021 that added several new species, including flamingos, ducks, turtles, capybaras, and miniature pigs. [7] [8] Visitors can pay extra for a crocodile feeding experience, as well as a giant rabbit interaction.
  • Konkaak Pavilion: Features colder water species from the Pacific, including jellyfish.
  • Olmeca Pavilion: Features species from the Gulf of Mexico, including several species of shark, such as bull sharks, nurse sharks, and blacktip reef sharks. Other species in the pavilion include yellowfin surgeonfish and the Northern red snapper. The aquarium allows guests to dive in the shark tank for an additional cost.

There is a sixth section in the aquarium called Marine Challenges, which consists of various games and physical activities, including laser tag, rock-climbing, trampolines, an obstacle course, and an arcade.

Conservation

Acuario Michin Guadalajara participates in several conservation programs, including breeding programs for axolotls and neotropical otters. They work closely with several environmental organizations, including Tapitas Bank, Pelagios Kakunjá, and local indigenous-lead groups. [9] The aquarium has also served as a home for nonreleasable neotropical otters. [6]

References
  1. "¿Está abierto el Acuario Michin de Guadalajara?". Unión Jalisco (in Mexican Spanish). 2020-12-02. Archived from the original on 2021-11-18. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  2. "Guadlajara opens Mexico's largest aquarium". Vallarta Daily News. 21 March 2017. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  3. "Guadlajara breaks ground on $270 mil aquarium, could nix Puerto Vallarta's plans". Vallarta Daily News. 4 September 2015. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  4. "Mexico's most modern aquarium to be built in Puerto Vallarta". Yucantan Times. 3 June 2016. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  5. "Port Authority Confirms Puerto Vallarta Will Not Have an Aquarium". Vallarta Daily. 19 February 2020. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  6. "Discover the reasons to love and care for river otters". Acuario Michin. Acuario Michin. 25 July 2019. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  7. Mora, Yunuen (20 December 2021). "Michin Aquarium expands its farm and adds activities for visitors". El Informador. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  8. "Top-quality aquarium enlarges farm zone". The Guadalajara Reporter. The Guadalajara Reporter. 22 December 2021. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  9. "About Us". Acuario Michin. Acuario Michin. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
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